Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/126423
York residence. (or just any cOncerned motorcyclists) ought to be aware of recently enacted legislation there that raises compulsory vehicle Iiablility insurance death benefits from $10,000 to $50,000. Benjamin R. Mintz of Cycle Insurance Service predicted that under the new bill. "the average increase for autos will be minimal (less than 5%), while motorcycle premiums will almost double. This raises the very real possibility that thf' voluntary . motorcycle insurance- marker will collapst:." Concerned motorcyclists, manufacturers and dealers are urged to write Governor Carey and New York state legislators, calling for an exclusion of motorcycles from Senate Bill 155518. Now, it's New York, later . . . who knows? Graham Noyce is the '79 500cc MX World Champion. Noyce rode his Bill Buchka-tuned Honda to a 4·DNF finish at the Citadel circuit in Namur, Belgium to become the youngest-ever 500cc World Champ at age 22 and the first Briton to win the title in 15 years. Buchu is the first American to tune an MX World Championship winning machine, and he said it was the "hardest job I've ever' had to do." Noyce rode the second race, but DNF with a flat tire. He was second at the time. Meanwhile, it was Noyce'. Honda teemmate Andre Melherbe riding the AIen Hahn-tuned Honda to the ov....11 win at the Aug. & Belgian &OOcc MXGP. Malherbe put In a 2·1 day despite throwing the chain In the second moto and stopping to put it back on. Roger DeCoIt8r put his works Suzuki Into sec:ond overall with 1-6 moto pIacInga In, as SIB BuchU described It. ..the moat f8ntl1stic race I've ...n him ride In a long while:' RD won the tint moto by 30 lI8Cond., then was Ieacing the sacond by the aeme mergin when the Suzuki got a flat tire. Srad Lackey finished 9-DNF (or a placing outside the top 10). Jimmy Weinert took ninth In the second moto. In point SUlndings, Noyce won the title with 217. GerrIt Wolsink. who cra.hed In the firat moto and didn't It8rt the second race, has 167. Andre Malherbe has overtaken Lackey for third with 148 to Lackey'. 141. HelkkI Mikkola. who 11I8o crMhecI in the firat moto, is fifth with 138, and DeCoeter is sixth with 126. In 250«. World Championship MX Series action, Husqvarna's Hakan Carlqvist. who already has clinched the title. won both motos in the Aug. 5, Bieistein. West Germany race. Neil Hudson put his Maico into second overall with a pair of. second placings. Jim Pomeroy, reponedly riding a Beta. placed founh in the first moto, but doesn't show up in the second race results. Cai"lqvist has %48 points. He's followed by Hudson with 178 and Vladimir Kavinov with ISI. 2 An eXpensive piece of cem.... equipment was found on the Cycle Ne. . motorhome bumper, but nor until it had taken a ride around the Laguna Seca pRing lot. then over to the Monterey airport. finally being discovered wh8n the boys stopped at a beer store. If you know what we're talking about and can give us a phone call, IUcceasfuIy identifying the item. it mu.t be yours. Dial 2131427·7433 and a.k for Skip. The NMA's big championship event in Ponca City, OK, will see the debut of Yamaha's new YZ50, when 12 of the machines are raced in a special event. The YZ50 is "a serious little racer," according to the folks at Yamaha, and like its bigger brothers, the new mini racer is a monoshocker. A 60cc big bore kit will be available. Speaking of little brothers appearing in Yamaha'. rece bike line up, is it poaslble that we'll .ee a water-cooled, aingle cylinder, mono.hock 125cc road recer called the TZ126?It'. a neat looking little machine, pictured In a brochura that rembled across Papa'. de.k the other day. We'll let you know on availability - when and/or if. August 9. That's the date the Phan· .tom Duck of the Desert and the BLM must reach agreement. An agreement has been drawn up, and according to Rick Sieman the BLM has already signed it. The Duck hasn·t. If he does, Sieman says it's a deal where nobody wins and nobody loses. The Duck doesn't want that, but since he's run out of money from the previous wasted - coun session, he may have no choice. Two more Duck info updates: The POOD received around $1,500 from pre·race ticket sales for t~ Superbowl of Motocross plus some $S00·$400 sent in to Dirt BiAe by people who couldn't make it to the race but wanted 10 contribute anyway. And, on Aug. I, the U.S. Army staned maneuvers in the dez. Wouldn't it be interesting to issue a temporary restraining order on them (as was-done to the Duck) and see how Judge Fergusoo handles it? Kelly Moran placed seventh in the Aug. & Speedway World FinaIa queIifying rece at WhIte CIty, Englend becoming the only American to make it to the final event. Bobby Schwartz placed 14th; only the top 10 quellfy. Winning' the Britlah rece WlI8 Michael Lee who tied at 14 points with Peter Collins, then beat Collina In a run-off reca. Finn Thompson, Dave Jeaup and Ivan Mauger each earned 10 points then raced in a run-off to place third through fifth In the order listed h.e. Mauger's motor f8iIed In that run-off. Thank. to contributor John Hlpkisa and Judy Mealy for the infol New York motorcyclists, or motorcyclists contemplating a New Entriea are still open for the Aug. 19 Women'. National Motocross, to be held at Carlsbad International Raceway. The event. .ponsored by Russ Demell Motocross Schools, f8ature. cIaasea from Seglnner to Pro, with payback going to the Pros. More Info i. avellable from promoter Vickie MIller Haag, 2167 EI Dora St., Lamon Grove, CA 92046, 7141412-939&. For the pit tootal.. accompanying lady recera, there's a pit tootsle rece with Sportsman and Expart cia..... You gala might want to get galn' on that; we hear that Texan Kathy Holman has f8etory Honda MX'er Steve WI. . .Igned uptorecel Australians Tony Hatton and Michael Cole led a Honda sweep of the first eight places, piloting their RCB900 to win the Suzuka 8·Hour endurance race in Japan. Second went to another RCB900, this one ridden by Britishers Ron Haslam and Alex George. American riders entered in the event did not fare well. Dale Singleton and Dave Aldana had their factory Honda running second overall before Singleton crashed. Shonly after Singleton bailed, the lead bike blew up. The Team Yoshimura - Suzuki ridden by Wes Cooley and Ron Pierce fell victim to a blown rod. On July 11 a Honda "Chaasl. and Su.penslon" course concluded In Texas. and Ronald and JoAnne' Johanson became Honda Registered Mechanics. the first married couple (JoAnne was also the tint woman) to do so. There are I... then 1&0 Honda Regllt8red Mec:hanIca In the country, and to become one Involvea an Introductory coune, a two-week int.-II_late c:oune and five advanced courses. COhgialUlatiol.. Ronald and JoAnnel Grass track MX in the U.S.?I That's right, the Ground Shakers M.C. out of Las Vegas has arranged to use the long-dormant Flying LD Ranch motOCTOllS track on Aug. 26. The ranch is nestled high (6600 ft.) in the Utah mottntaiDS, two miles from Zion National Pad and the track has been allowed to return to its Daturalltate; a ribbon of grass zig· zagging up and down in the Utah mountains and forests. Overnight camping at the track is OK. The ranch is limed from the east gate of Zion National Park and from the Mt. Carmel Junction. Call Casey Folks at 702/457·OS4!1 for funher information. Hats off to Sun Metal Products, Inc., the trick rhn manufIIeturers. In addition to aupplJing any of 1979 United States ISDT rIc:I-. requesting so with their rima, they are also providing each rider with a check for .100.00 to help cover their personeI ......... balance of this MOOD.oo fund go to the AMA end their ISDT effort. Maico West announced their 1979450 ORCD (off-road, country and desen) is now available. These desert play bikes have wide ratio gearboxes. ~ gallon gas tanks and Works Pcrlormance rear shocks. Ask your dealer for details. a. M/C Industry people for of thoM wonder'.ig whet happened to Tifn smith after his seven year aasoc:Iation with the racIr18 department. at KawaaakL ha was recently· reported to have joined forces with Jeff Cole and formed a new company C & J RacIng Products, at 1163 E. Mission Road, Falbrook. CA 92028. 7141728-1707. They will be developing dirt track frame. and hardware for TT500 Yamehas and XL & XR Honda 500'•. Give nm a calland aey hi. Miasing depei biHMt; R.C. Engineering is moving! Their new facility in Gardena will comprise 42,000 square feet, earmarked maiDly for manufacturing and R&D. W.hile ~pa was speaking with the good folks at R.C., he thought he heard someone say Russ Collins was planning a real 200 mph pass in the near future and if time permits Terry Vance would soon be sorting out the details OD a new single engine Suzuki top fuder. The AME California Mlnlcycle Championship, a five.race . . . . will begin Aug. 19 at Cycle Haven. then go to Indian Dune. on Aug. 26, Sarona Oak. on Sept. 2Sprockets Perk on Sept. 15 finally wrapping up at Indlen Dunes on Sept. 30. Thare'H be awards from U.S. Suzuki, S&W and DuraIube. Suzuki wiD be giving away one each of the 1980 RMIO, RMIO and RM100 MXera as soon as they're avaHable. More Info? Dial 21318B1· &778. Alex Jorgensen got married to Von the lady he's been dating for' seve years in an Aug. S ceremony at Lak Tahoe. Sources alao report that MotaFox riders Larry Woaick and nie Cantaloupl era In line for f8c tory ridea. The odds.are even you11 . . . Woaick riding for Honda and Cantaloupl for Yamaha in 1910. The rumor mill is running wide cranking out the annual "who's to ride what in 1980" items. Word it that Many Tripes may be riding fo Kawasaki next year. The two a reponedly talking todey. now, bu Tripes is under contract to Honda until October. How about a Iadlas only Natil)llllil Enduro? The fourth annual Suster Enduro wID take place 2 In MIchIgen organized by VIneyard Trail RIdera. Want Info? DIal 8111I24&473, 8181342 49a or 8111888 2&27 or write to Vineyard Trell RIders, c/o La Cycle Se.... M~ South, Lawto MI 4908&. There'. no aenction everyone - women, that Ia - ma ride. Look for a major housecleaning a Team Honda this winter. Severa highly paid star riders haven't exactl lived up to their old press clippings. And _ Mer Yamaha has plena expand their pre•• nt ta8m rOlla" with two or three new riders.